Climate change impact worsened last year

A sand sculpture made by Oxfam activists dedicated to farmers fighting against climate change is seen at the beach during U.N. climate talks in Cancun December 10, 2010. Photo: REUTERS

The number of weather-related natural calamities rose last year, showing further proof of the growing impact of climate change.

Weather-related disasters such as storm, floods or heat waves occupied nine tenths of total 950 natural disasters recorded in 2010, said Munich Re, a global reinsurance firm.

The high number of weather-related natural catastrophes and record temperatures both globally and in different regions of the world provide further indications of advancing climate change, the company said.

Also, last year saw the second highest number of natural disasters recorded since 1980 and the total was 21 percent higher than the average number of incidents recorded yearly over the past decade.

As a result of this calamities, the number of deaths amounted to more than 295,000 last year with overall losses reaching $130 billion. Insurance industry witnessed the sixth most loss-intensive year since 1980.

A significant part of death toll came from earthquakes last year which are not directly linked to climate change.

But the report said the rise in occurrence of flooding, storms, droughts and heat waves is possibly the result of climate change.